Apparatus for placing beams in baling presses



May 27, 1952 e. A. SEIDEL APPARATUS FOR PLACING BEAMS IN BALING PRES-SE5Filed Jan. 28, 1950 INVENTOR. q'osrw 42 550 54 MaM-,w%

ATTORNEYS Patented May 27, 1952 APPARATUS FOR PLACING BEAMS IN BALINGPEESSES- Gustav A. Seidel, Mellen, Wis., assignor to SplicedwoodCorporation, Mellen, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin ApplicationJanuary 28, 1950, Serial No. 141,069

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improved apparatus for placing beams in abaling press.

In the following specification and disclosure the invention will beexemplified with reference to the placing of I-beams on top of a bale ofplywood panels in a press, but it will be understood that my inventionis useful in and adaptable to many press and clamping operations.

The process of compressing plywood panels after the adhesive has beenspread upon the several laminations is a batch operation. The assembledpanels of plywood are made into a bale consisting of several layers ofplywood interspaced by bale reenforcing panels, known as caul boards.The bale is faced, top and bottom, with thick panels called head boards.This stack of plywood, caul boards, and head boards, is compressed in avertical action hydraulic press, but the drying and curing operationcannot be carried out in the press itself and the contents of the pressmust be removed and stored in a tightly clamped bale until the adhesivehas cured. Since the baling or clamping pressure is exceedingly great,it is necessary that a fairly large number of structural beams, usuallysteel I-beams, be placed transversely to the length of the bale, both onthe top and on the bottom of it. The number of beams used depends, ofcourse, upon the length of the plywood pack being compressed. Forinstance, in a particular plywood factory where I use my invention, theI-beams are placed one foot apart and a four foot by eight foot panelarea would require eight beams above and a like number below.

The I-beams for the top of the bale are placed on the bale after thestacked bale contents are positioned in the hydraulic press and fit intorecesses of the upper press platen. The beams are, of course, longenough to extend beyond the limits of the bale on each side and thebeams on the top and bottom of the bale are connected and clamped inpairs, with the beam on the top of the bale connected and clamped to itsmate on the bottom by steel forged yoke clamps. These clamps areinterconnected by a turnbuckle arrangement. While the bale iscompressed, the turnbuckles on each set of beams are tightened to holdthe bale in a compressed state after it is removed from the press forstorage orcuring.

When plywood sheets of considerable width are to be baled it is evidentthat the I-beams must be of considerable size and weight so that manuallifting and positioning of such I-beams, particularly at the top of thebale, is an arduous task, entailing the lifting of individual beams fromfloor level to shoulder level, or even higher. Furthermore, the beamsmust be passed over the topof the bale into alignment with and in.-

and template to space and locate, lift and insert heavy utility beams.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lifting device for thepurpose described wherein the support for beams is so disposed that theproperly spaced and arranged beam elements have considerable of theirlength projected in overhanging cantilevered relationship to the.

margin of the lifting device and the overhanging portion is freelyreceivable in any receptor for the overhanging ends.

Other objects will be more apparent upon an examination of the followingdisclosure.

In the drawings: 1

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the I-beam loader shown carrying oneI-beam forillustration purposes.

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the I-beam loader. V

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing an I-beam about tobe delivered onto a bale of plywood.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the I-beam loader support elements taken fromthe end of a supported I-beam.

Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation of the bale with the beams insertedprior to the removal of the bale from the press.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a finished bal after removal from thepress in condition for storage. v

The I-beam loader consists primarily of a carrying frame comprisingspaced carrying rails l and 2 which are connected in parallel relationby means of tie rods 3 and a centrally disposed channel 4. Tie rods 3and channel 4 are so shaped and disposed as to position carryingrail 2at an elevated horizontal level with relation to carrying rail I whenthe loader is resting 'upon a flat surface as shown in Fig. 2. Feet 5,

which are secured to the under side of carrying rail 2, serve to supportthe framework in stable floor position.

Both the low side carrying rail l and thehigh side carrying rail 2 areprovided with means for the support and alignment of the required numberof I-beams 6 which are to be loaded on the frame in spaced parallelarrangement transversely of the rails as shown in Fig. 1. Such supportmeans includes, on the high side carrying rail 2, inwardly projecting,spaced suspen sion pegs 8 between which page the web ID of the I-bea'm 6is confined andupon which the under surface of upper flange 9 of theI-beam rests, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Stability of the I-beam asso positioned is insured by overhanging clip II. the beam end to liftwhile the lifting and plac lng operations are carried out.

The low side carrying rail l is provided with spaced pairs of upstandingguide pegs I2 and with a support roller 14 for each pair. The rollersare rotatably mounted in side brackets I3. The bearing surfaces of therollers are elevated above the top surface of rail I, so as to provideaclearance I therebetweem as best shown in- Fig.3; The rollers arealigned complementary with-the-space between the upstanding guide pegsI2;so that the loaded I-beam 8 rests upon the-roller Ht between theguide pegs I2 The distance between carrying rails i and 2- is madeslightlygreater than; one half the normal length of the I-beam. Thus,when the I-beam'is properly loaded" on the frame, its centerof gravitywi-l-l'be disposed immediately interiorly of carrying raili. ihe supportof the respective beams on the frame may be likened to'acantileverarrangement;- the entire-frameworleacting'as acantilever support'for theportions" of the beams projecting beyond the car- The loadedframe maybelifted-mechanically,

as by; a power" crane orthe like,-by= means ofa tripodal suspension rigor bail comprising rod like'legs- I8, IS-and 20-. Legs I8-and IQ-aresecured, near the opposite ends of carrying rail 'Ipto brackets 21 whichare provided with apertures 22 for engagement with the hooked ends ofrods I8 and I9. Leg 2B of the'tripodal suspension rigis offset from railI, and is hooked tocross channel 4- through aperture 23 therein. Legs IQand 29 are provided with adjustable turnbuckles 24- whereby the liftingforce maybe adjusted with respect to the balance of the I-beams on theframe. The other ends of each-leg I8; 18 and 20-mutuallyjoin at the-lifting c1evis'25.

In operation the I-beams are loaded on the frame at floor level. Whencompletely loaded itwill be observed'that the ends of each I-beam willconsiderably overhang low side carrying rail I; the entire arrangementbeing balanced on a center of gravity disposed immediately inside ofcarrying rail I and below the clevis 25. The loader is liftedby means ofthe tripodal suspension rig to a level along-side the top of bale 26which is positioned in the hydraulic press. Only a top frame member 29of the press is illustrated.

The I-beam 6 may be simultaneously delivered from the frame and ontothetop of the bale fishy-manually push-ing'the'frame until low side Thisclip will not permitrail I of the frame is abruptly arrested against thetop 29 of the press. The momentum of the I-beams disengages therespective beams from the pins 8 and clips II to continue the beams onover the rollers and onto the top of the bale. The loading frame may nowbe Withdrawn for use elsewhere.

As is best shown in Fig. 5 the top platen 21 of the press is adapted tothis work by bolting a series of fixed I-beams 28 thereto. The bottomflanges SI of the beams 28 act as a platen or discontinuous plate toexert pressure against headboard 32 which is interposed between theplywood stack 26 and the flanges 3L The fixed beams 28 are spaced toprovide channels or recesses therebetween to receive the baling beams Bdelivered by the loading frame. The fixed beams 28 have more widelyspaced flanges than the baling beams so as to provide ample clearancespace for reception of the baling beams before or after the bale hasbeen compressed.

As is frequently the case the initial serving of the beams may notadequately position them on the bale and the beam ends may projectunduly from the top edge of the bale. For the purpose of simultaneouslycompleting the service the loading frame may be swung away from the baleand then toward the bale to project the low side rail I simultaneouslyagainst said projecting ends to uniformly bodily move the beams to suchposition that only minor manual shifting need be done to properlyposition the beams in the recesses of the press platen.

Upon clamping the paired baling beams together (Fig. 6) the platen 21with its fixed beams 28 may be lifted and the bale removed from thepress and taken to storage for curing.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it is seen that a novel apparatus for" loading I-beams on thetop of a bale of plywo'od'is disclosed. By the use of this apparatus allthe I-beams are loaded at floor level and are simultaneously lifted anddelivered onto the-top of the bale in proper spaced relation for seatingengagement-with the press platen recesses.

1. In a beam loader the combination of a loading' frame having-parallelcarrying rails in spaced connection, suspension means for the frame, andtransversely aligned complementary means at each of said" rails for theguided and aligned transverse support of beamson the frame; one-of saidmeans being laterally open toprovide a way over which-the beams maybe-delivered laterally from the loader.

2.- The device of claim 1 wherein one of said carrying rails ishorizontally oifset from the other of said rails.

3-.- The' device of claim 1 wherein the transversely aligned supportmeans for the beams comprises the combination throne of said rails oflongitudinally spaced inwardly projecting support pegs and overhangingguide clips and the combination on the other of said carrying rail-oflongitudinally spaced upstanding guide pegs and support rollersassociatedtherewith whereby the beams may be supported and deliveredoutwardly from said frame over said rollers.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the supportmeans comprisesatripodal system of suspension rods, two of the legs of which aresecured near the ends of one of said carrying rails and the other leg ofwhich is attached to the-frame-at apoint-oifset from-said rail.one-ofsaid first mentioned legs and said last mentioned leg havingadjusting means whereby the frame may be tilted with respect to itssupport means.

5. In a beam loader the combination of a loading frame comprising spacedparallel rails, cross members connecting said spaced parallel rails,means associated with said rails for simultaneous delivery of the beamload comprising in attachment with one of said rails a series of spacedinwardly projecting pairs of beam guide pegs, and in attachment with theother of said rails complementary longitudinally spaced pairs ofupstanding guide pegs and support rollers between the pegs of saidpairs, and means for lifting the frame-work with its beam loadcomprising a tripodal suspension system including adjustable le'gsaflixed near the ends of one of said carrying rails and at anintermediate point on one of the cross members.

6. In a device of the character described a loading frame comprisingparallel carrying rails in spaced connection, one of which rails beinghorizontally ofiset from the other of said rails, one of said railsbeing provided with upstanding longitudinally spaced pairs of beam guidepegs and complementary longitudinally spaced beam support rollersbetween the pegs of said pairs.

'7. The device of claim 6 wherein the other of said rails is providedwith longitudinally spaced inwardly projecting guide clips andlongitudinally spaced inwardly projecting pairs of guide pegs for theguided support of the ends of the loaded beams.

8. In a beam loader the combination with a loading frame comprisingcarrying rails connected in spaced parallel relation by a plurality ofcross members, of a tripodal suspension support means comprising a liftclevis offset toward one of said rails and three suspension rods, two ofsaid suspension support rods having spaced suspensive connection withone of said rails and the other rod having suspensive connection with across member, at least one of said rods having adjusting means wherebyto adjust the position of said clevis respecting said rails.

9. In a device of the character described a carrying frame comprisingparallel carrying rails in spaced connection, the distance between saidrails beingslightly greater than one-half the length of the beamsintended to be transversely carried thereon, and means connected to therespective rails for supporting beams in cantilevered relation to saidframe.

10. A beam lifting and positioning device including a first rail forsupport of a mid point of a beam, at second rail connected to said firstrail and positioned for engagement with an end portion of the beam tomaintain the beam in cantilevered relation with said first rail, and alifting bail connected to said lifting and positioning device whereby-tomaintain the beam in approximately horizontal position supported by saidbail.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the first rail is carried by saidbail at a lower level than the second rail and the second rail ispositioned to abut an end of the beam.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the first rail is carried-by saidbail at a lower level than the second rail and the second rail ispositioned to abut an end of the beam, said second rail having meansprojecting laterally thereof toward the first rail for preventing beammovement upwardly or downwardly with respect to said second rail, saidbeam being free to be movably projected laterally from its abuttedrelation to said second rail.

GUSTAV A. SEIDEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

